Chelsea 'would prefer to sell Jorginho over N'Golo Kante'

With the Premier League club on the brink of a takeover, head coach Thomas Tuchel is ready to make major changes to his squad in a bid to close the gap to Manchester City and Liverpool.

While defence remains a priority, alterations are expected to be made in midfield with Tuchel needing to facilitate Conor Gallagher's return from his loan at Crystal Palace and the potential of another younger player joining the Blues.

In theory, Jorginho and Kante are the most likely departures from Stamford Bridge due to the pair having just one year remaining on their contracts and now being the wrong side of 30.

However, according to The Guardian, Chelsea and Tuchel would prefer to keep Kante if it comes down to a straight choice between the pair, the World Cup winner having recently been described as one of the team's key players.

The report adds that Manchester United are eyeing up a deal for Kante, but Chelsea are unlikely to contemplate a sale given that the 31-year-old would strengthen a direct rival.

Meanwhile, Jorginho has previously been linked with another stint in Italy with Juventus emerging as a potential destination.